JP4796446B2 - Application setting information update method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for centrally displaying and updating application setting information of a plurality of computers through transmission means such as a network.

  A business system using a computer is generally composed of a plurality of computers, and the same application program (hereinafter simply referred to as “application”) is installed in a plurality of computers performing the same business. In such a case, since it is necessary to execute the operation of the same application on any computer, it is necessary to unify application setting information.

However, since application settings need to be performed on individual computers, the same setting change operation is required for a plurality of computers, which has been a factor in increasing the number of system management and maintenance man-hours. Therefore, there has been a demand for facilitating management and maintenance of a plurality of computers by centrally managing application setting information on the plurality of computers. As techniques for intensively managing application setting information on a plurality of computers, those described in the following Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 are known.
JP 2000-353119 A JP 2002-149407 A

  However, the technique described in Patent Document 1 holds the setting item names on the individual computers 2 and the values for the setting item names on the computer 1 that performs centralized management, so that the application of the computer 2 on the computer 1 is maintained. The setting item value can be changed. However, since only the setting item name and the setting item name of the application of the computer 2 are held on the computer 1, it can be excluded when an invalid value is set. There is a possibility that an invalid value is set in the application on the computer 2 and the application cannot be operated.

  Further, the computer 1 needs to know all the setting items of the application on the computer 2 in advance. For this reason, when the application on the computer 2 is changed or added to the application items due to the addition or change of the function, the computer 1 cannot grasp the items and cannot correctly set the application on the computer 2. Occurs.

  The technique described in Patent Document 2 also has the same problem although there is a difference in the setting information holding format on a computer that performs centralized management.

  The present invention holds values and setting rules for setting information of business system applications on the business application side, and centrally manages display / change of the setting information on the management computer side based on such information, thereby allowing a plurality of computers to be managed. It is intended to facilitate the operation and management of the application, to change the setting information with the correct setting contents, and to manage the addition / change of the setting information of the application.

  To achieve the above object, the present invention executes a first computer that manages setting information of an application program and a second computer that executes the application program and transmits / receives the setting information of the application program in response to a request from the first computer. A method for updating application setting information in a computer system having a plurality of computers, wherein the second computer stores setting values of setting information of application programs executed in the own computer and information associated with the setting information The first computer acquires the setting value of the setting information of the application program in the second computer and the information accompanying the setting information, and the first computer acquires the second computer acquired. Display the setting value of the setting information of the application program in the A machine receives an input of a change value of the setting information by a user (administrator), checks validity of the change value based on information accompanying the setting information, and the first computer When it is confirmed that the value is an appropriate value, the change value is transmitted to the second computer, the second computer receives the change value, and the value of the setting information of the second application program Is changed to the value of the received change value.

  The information accompanying the setting information is, for example, a setting item rule indicating a condition that the setting information must satisfy, a setting item description that is an explanation about the setting information, and the like. In this case, the validity check is confirmation that the setting value of the setting information satisfies the setting item rule.

  When the first computer acquires information accompanying the setting information of the application program in the second computer, the information may be stored together with the version information of the application program. As a result, information (setting item rules and setting item descriptions) accompanying the setting information is accumulated for each different version of the same application. When obtaining the setting value of the setting information for the same application program of the third computer from the first computer, the version of the application program of the third computer is checked, and the version is attached to the setting information. If the information to be stored has already been accumulated, there is no need to acquire information accompanying the setting information from the third computer.

  According to the present invention, the value of the setting information of the application of the business system and the information accompanying the setting information such as the setting item rule and the setting item description are held on the business application side, and the management computer side is based on the information. Centrally manages the display and change of setting information, so it is possible to simplify the operation and management of multiple computers using a management computer, change the setting information with the correct settings, and set the application setting information. Additions and changes can be concentrated from the management computer.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment for carrying out the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. The application setting information management system of this embodiment is configured such that a management computer 1 that centrally manages setting information and business computers 2 and 3 in which an application that is a management target of setting information is installed are connected via a network. ing. The business computer 2 has a business application 22 (that is, installed and operable). The business computer 3 has the same business application 32 as the business application 22. Although an example in which two business computers are connected will be described here, the number of business computers is arbitrary.

  Connected to the management computer 1 are a display device 5 for displaying the setting information of these business applications 22 and 32 and an input interface 6 for changing the setting information of these business applications 22 and 32.

  The management computer 1 includes a setting information management manager application 11 that acquires and displays the setting information of each business computer 2 or 3 and transmits and sets the contents of the changed setting information to each business computer. Reference numeral 101 denotes a database (setting information table) that stores setting values of setting information acquired from individual business computers by the setting information management manager application 11. Reference numeral 102 denotes a database (setting item rule table) that stores setting item rules for setting information acquired from each business computer by the setting information management manager application 11. Reference numeral 103 denotes a database (setting item description table) that stores setting item descriptions of setting information acquired by the setting information management manager application 11 from individual business computers.

  The business computer 2 includes a setting information management agent application 21 for executing a request from the setting information management manager application 11. Reference numeral 201 denotes a setting value definition file corresponding to the setting information of the business application 22. Reference numeral 202 denotes a setting item rule definition file corresponding to the setting information of the business application 22. A definition file 203 describes the setting items corresponding to the setting information of the business application 22. Reference numeral 204 denotes a definition file for version information of the business application 22.

  The business computer 3 includes a setting information management agent application 31 for executing a request from the setting information management manager application 11. Reference numeral 301 denotes a setting value definition file corresponding to the setting information of the business application 32. Reference numeral 302 denotes a setting item rule definition file corresponding to the setting information of the business application 32. A definition file 303 explains the setting items corresponding to the setting information of the business application 32. Reference numeral 304 denotes a definition file for version information of the business application 32.

  FIG. 2 is a specific example of the setting value 201 of the business application 22 in the business computer 2. Here, it is assumed that the setting value 301 of the business application 32 in the business computer 3 also holds the same value as in FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a specific example of the setting item rule 202 of the business application 22 in the business computer 2.

  FIG. 4 is a specific example of the setting item description 203 of the business application 22 in the business computer 2.

  FIG. 5 is a specific example of the version information 204 of the business application 22 in the business computer 2.

  FIG. 6 is a specific example of the setting item rule 302 after upgrading the business application 32 in the business computer 3. Compared with the setting item rule 202 of FIG. 3, the difference is that the schemaVersion is “2” and the rule of Item name = “WarningNum” is provided.

  FIG. 7 is a specific example of the setting item description 303 after upgrading the business application 32 in the business computer 3. Compared with the setting item description 203 in FIG. 4, a difference is that <item name = "WarningNum" value = "number of work handling warnings" /> is provided.

  FIG. 8 is a specific example of the version information 304 after upgrading the business application 32 in the business computer 3. Compared with the version information 204 of FIG. 5, the value of Version and the value of SchemaVersion are different.

  Next, a procedure for acquiring the setting information of the business application 22 on the management computer 11, changing the value of the setting information, and changing the content of the setting value of the business application 22 will be described.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a procedure by which the setting information management manager application 11 acquires the setting information of the business application. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a procedure for changing the setting information on the business computer after changing the setting value on the setting information management manager application 11.

  When the setting information management manager application 11 receives, for example, a setting information display operation request for the business application 22 (an input from the input interface 6 by the administrator), the setting information management agent that operates on the business application 22 in step A901. A setting information acquisition request for the business application 22 is transmitted to the application 21. In response to the request, the setting information management agent application 21 transmits the setting value 201 and version information 204 of the business application 22 to the setting information management manager application 11.

  In step A902, the setting information management manager application 11 updates the setting information table 101 based on the received setting value and version information. FIG. 11 shows an example of the contents of the setting information table 101 after execution of step A902. The setting value 201 in FIG. 2 and the version information 204 in FIG. 5 are set.

  In step A 903, the setting information management manager application 11 checks whether the setting item rule of the version set in the setting information table 101 exists in the setting item rule table 102.

  If the setting information acquisition of the version of the business application is the first time, the setting item rule does not exist in the setting item rule table 102. Therefore, in step A904 and step A905, the setting item rule and the setting item description are acquired, and the acquired information Is updated in the setting item rule table 102 and the setting item explanation table 103. If the setting information of the version of the business application has already been acquired regardless of the same host or different host, the setting item rule and setting item description for that version are set in the setting item rule table 102 and the setting item description table 103. Steps A904 and A905 are skipped.

  In step A906, the information of the setting information table 101, the setting item rule table 102, and the setting item explanation table 103 is merged and displayed as setting information. FIG. 13 is an example in which the setting information of the business application 21 is displayed.

  The setting value of the setting information can be changed on the screen of FIG. For example, if the “maximum number of tasks handled” is changed, the change process of FIG. 10 is executed, and it is checked in step A1001 whether or not the changed set value satisfies the set item rule. In the example currently described, the setting item “maximum number of business operations” is defined by the “<min>” and “<max>” definitions in the “<Item name =” MaxNum> ”of the setting item rule of FIG. Since the range of numerical values that can be specified is limited to 1 to 512, for example, if “600” is specified, the update cannot be performed and the process ends in an error, so that an invalid value may be set in the business application. If the changed setting value satisfies the setting item rule, the setting information management manager 11 changes the setting value of the specified setting item to the specified value in step A1002. A setting information change request instructing to change is transmitted, and in response to this, the agent 21 changes the setting value 201.

  Next, a procedure when setting information is added due to a version upgrade of a business application will be described.

  Originally, the business application 22 and the business application 32 are the same application, but when the business application 32 is upgraded on the business computer 3 side, the setting item rule 302, the setting item description 303, and the version information 304 are updated. Updated to content. FIG. 6 shows the updated setting item rule, FIG. 7 shows the updated setting item description, and FIG. 8 shows the updated version information.

  It is assumed that after such version upgrade, the setting information management manager application 11 receives a setting information acquisition request for the business application 32. At this time, the setting information management manager application 11 transmits a setting information acquisition request for the business application 32 to the setting information management agent application 31 operating on the business application 32 in step A901. In response to the request, the setting information management agent application 31 transmits the setting value 301 and version information 304 of the business application 32 to the setting information management manager application 11.

  In step A902, the setting information management manager application 11 updates the setting information table 101 based on the received setting value and version information. FIG. 12 shows an example of the contents of the setting information table 101 after execution of step A902. A record of the host name “HostB2” corresponding to the business computer 3 is added, and the version information 304 and setting values in FIG. 8 are set. Since the version has been upgraded, the business application version is “1.1” and the setting item rule version is “2”.

  In step A 903, the setting information management manager application 11 checks whether the setting item rule of the version set in the setting information table 101 exists in the setting item rule table 102.

  Since the setting information of the business application after the upgrade is acquired for the first time, the setting item rule does not exist in the setting item rule table 102. For this reason, in step A904 and step A905, an update process for acquiring the setting item rule and the setting item description and registering the acquired information in the setting item rule table 102 and the setting item description table 103 is performed.

  In step A906, the information of the setting information table 101, the setting item rule table 102, and the setting item explanation table 103 is merged and displayed as setting information.

  FIG. 14 is an example in which the setting information of the business application 32 is displayed. The item “Number of business handling warnings” has been added as a result of version upgrade, so that item is also displayed. When the administrator inputs some value as the “number of business handling warnings”, it can be specified from the rule (<Item name = "WarningNum"> rule) related to the item in the upgraded setting item rule 302 in FIG. Since the numerical range is limited to 1 to 256, it is checked in step A1001 whether the input value falls within this range. If the value satisfies this rule, the set value is set as the set value 301 of the business application 32 in step A1002.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is not necessary to perform special work on the management computer 11 for version upgrade of business applications. When a version upgrade is performed on the business application side, the upgraded information is automatically stored in the tables 101 to 103 simply by issuing a setting information acquisition request for the business application from the management computer 11 and managed. The business application can be set from the computer 11 based on the upgraded information.

The block diagram showing the structure of one Embodiment of this invention The figure which shows the setting value of business application (the 1) The figure which shows the setting item rule of business application (the 1) The figure which shows the setting item explanation of business application (the 1) The figure which shows the version information of business application (the 1) The figure which shows the setting item rule after version upgrade of business application (the 2) The figure which shows the setting item explanation after version upgrade of business application (the 2) Diagram showing version information after version upgrade of business application (part 2) Outline flow chart of setting information acquisition Overview of setting information update flowchart The figure which shows the contents of the setting information table The figure which shows the contents of the setting information table after version upgrade Figure showing the setting information display screen Figure showing the setting information display screen after version upgrade

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Management computer, 2, 3 ... Business computer, 5 ... Display apparatus, 6 ... Input interface, 21 ... Setting information management manager application, 22, 32 ... Setting information management agent application, 101 ... Setting information management manager setting value table 102 ... Setting item rule table of setting information management manager, 103 ... Setting item explanation table of setting information management manager, 201 ... Setting value of business application, 202, 302 ... Setting item rule of business application, 203, 303 ... Business Application setting item description, 204, 304... Business application version information.

Claims (1)

Application setting information in a computer system having a first computer that manages setting information of an application program and a second computer that executes the application program and transmits / receives the setting information of the application program in response to a request from the first computer Update method,
The second computer holds a setting value of setting information of an application program executed in its own machine, and information accompanying the setting information,
The first computer acquires a setting value of setting information of an application program in the second computer, and information accompanying the setting information,
The first computer displays the acquired setting value of the setting information of the application program in the second computer;
The first computer receives an input of a change value of the setting information by a user, confirms the validity of the change value based on information accompanying the setting information,
When the first computer confirms that the change value is a reasonable value, the change value is transmitted to the second computer;
The second computer receives the change value and changes the value of the setting information of the second application program to the value of the received change value.

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